Opportunity Guide I Summer, Enrichment & Activities Guide

To help a tech-minded child build knowledge and skills, there are a wide variety of school-based activities, online and onsite classes, programs and rigorous summer programs to choose from. Whether your child’s interest is in engineering, computers or robotics, a multitude of entry level classes and activities exist so that she can dig in and discover what interests her. Attending or participating in a Maker Faire is also a great starting point for technology-loving kids to gain exposure to a wide range of inspirational inventions, projects and hands-on learning experiences.

For a child who likes competing, there are research and invention contests and fairs where children can share their original research findings with peers. At the highest levels, an accomplished child may compete in prestigious national and international engineering and technology contests such as the robotic and computing Olympiads and the International Science and Engineering Fair. If your child is serious about pursuing engineering/computer science in college or as a career, it is worthwhile to look into related math programs since the fields are often interconnected.

If your child is a budding news reporter or journalist, there are a wide array of school-based and extramural programs to help him develop the important skills for journalism, including reporting, writing, photography, audio and television production, and social media. Writing for a school newspaper is a great way to gain experience in a community of like-minded peers. If there is no school-based paper or similar activity, encourage your child to start a newspaper or to create his own blog. Specialty camps, including selective ones sponsored by undergraduate journalism programs, offer classes in all aspects of journalism including print, digital, social media and broadcasting. For a child who likes contests, there are journalism and writing competitions that will give participants a reason to sharpen their skills for a chance to win prizes and awards.

If your child is interested in news production or broadcasting, have him check out school or community public access radio or tv broadcasting opportunities. Some community access TV stations and professional stations will take student interns or volunteers. Many community colleges offer TV production and broadcasting classes. There’s also an array of specialty broadcasting summer camps, including some that focus on sports broadcasting, while others teach the real-world skill set necessary to thrive in broadcast TV, cable, and internet news.